BayHawks add Goldcamp to active roster

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Erie BayHawk Kyle Goldcamp, at right, goes up for a shot past Fort Wayne's Rob Kurz during the second period of the game at Tullio Arena on March 28. JANET B. CAMPBELL/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

Two of the most popular players to ever compete for the Erie BayHawks have switched places.

On Wednesday, the BayHawks placed Kyle Goldcamp on their active 10-man roster and placed Erik Daniels on their inactive list because of an ankle injury.

"Hopefully, I can bring my competitiveness," Goldcamp said. "I'm willing to mix it up with the guys. Hopefully that will help us be tougher mentally inside and as a unit as a whole."

The BayHawks (4-4) play at Springfield (3-4) on Friday.

"They're all way more skilled than me," said a laughing Goldcamp. "They can do all the other stuff. Hopefully, I can help them (by being physical)."

A former Gannon standout, Goldcamp, 26, had played three consecutive seasons for the BayHawks before opting to play overseas in Russia in August.

The 6-foot 10-inch power forward returned in September. He learned Tuesday he was given clearance from the Russian team, Spartak-Primorie.

"I'm open to any opportunity, but it has to be the right fit," Goldcamp said. "I learned a lot from the process, so I know what to kind of look for now."

Goldcamp, who averaged 14 points and 8.4 rebounds last season for Erie, came back as a practice player last week.

"I hope he can add toughness to the team," Erie coach Gene Cross said. "(We hope he adds) leadership, physicality on the interior and some more depth on the low post."

Cross said Goldcamp has fared well in practice against Erie's two big men -- Henry Sims and Keith Benson.

"It's a very physical game, and that's what he brings," Cross said. "He's a bruiser, a screener, a rebounder, and over the years has found a scoring touch as well. (I'm) really pleased with the way he's been practicing."

In Goldcamp's first day back, Daniels got hurt competing in a one-on-one drill with him.

A 6-foot 8-inch, 215-pound forward, Daniels has missed Erie's past two games. He's averaged 4.2 points in five games with Erie.

Cross said Daniels, 30, who also has a hand injury, didn't travel with the team to New York, where the BayHawks have been practicing at the Knicks' practice facility since Tuesday.

The team flew there Monday.

"He is home with his family right now," Cross said.

Daniels returned to Erie this season as a practice player. The BayHawks waived Danny Sumner to add Daniels to the active roster.

Daniels was the first overall pick of the BayHawks in their 2008-09 expansion season, when he led the team in scoring (21.1 ppg) and rebounding (10 rpg).

The former Kentucky standout was back in Erie near the end of the 2010-11 season. He averaged 19 points in the playoffs.

DUANE RANKIN can be reached at 878-2210 or by e-mail. Check out Goldcamp when he returned to the BayHawks as a practice player on Duane's Give & Go blog at goerie.com/blogs/giveandgo.

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MORE ON THE BLOG: To read more about the Erie BayHawks, college hoops and the NBA on the Give And Go blog, click here.

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